Brewing Chemex!

There are - what feels like - 1,284 ways to brew coffee. The wonderful thing about that, besides experimenting in your own kitchen and pretending to do science, is that you can find your own preferences. We try out different roasts to see what our favorites are, but what about brewing methods? Do you prefer French press? An immersion technique? Or maybe just a simple pour over.

The combinations are endless (or at least enough to keep us preoccupied). But once you land on that perfect cup of coffee and learn to replicate it every morning, you're pretty much golden.

Our recent favorite cup is via Chemex. My husband and I have been doing French press for a while, just for ease and convenience. He runs quickly off to work every morning and I run quickly off to wherever our 10-month-old is quickly running off to hurt himself.

But a couple of weekends ago, we pulled out the old Chemex. It came out like a shining beacon of hope to perfectly complete our waffley (yes, I just made it a word) breakfast. I have to admit, I've seen Chemexes all over, but I always thought they were just fancy coffee or juice pitchers. Haha. Live and learn. I actually got that idea from Friends. You often see one in Monica's kitchen.

friends.wikia.com

Can you spot it?

It was indeed an experiment, but we followed this post (from one of my favorite blogs) and it turned out great! (ps, how awesomely barista do these dudes look? I feel like you need a rocking beard and/or wear a denim shirt to qualify as a worthy barista. I guess I'll go for the denim.) We tried the same bag of coffee that we'd been using in our French press, but from the Chemex it was so smooth. It made us both sigh all heavy. The coffee wasn't crisp. It didn't hit a certain part of our palates, but distributed itself all over. It was so warm. And full. And crazy delicious. I think it will be our method of choice when we're drinking coffee together on the weekends. Did we just become an old couple??

First, we placed the filter in folded side near the spout (i.e., multiple layers towards the spout). Then, we gave the filter a quick rinse (though it's best to be more thorough than we were this first time and get more of the filter saturated) by pouring hot water through it. Of course, dump out the water from the Chemex before actually brewing. In went the freshly ground coffee (we went with a medium grind in our Hario mill). We made the bloom by pouring in just enough water to cover the grounds and waiting until a little coffee seeped through. That told us the Chemex was ready for the pull pour.

Then we slowly poured hot (but not boiling!) water on over ...

Slow. But much. Mmm. Don't mind our simultaneous waffle preparations. Are you hungry yet?

And then we just let it drip. Simple as that! And it makes for such a great cup of coffee. In a pretty pitcher. But that's secondary. Don't worry. I know that now. ;)

Our Newest Addition

You guys! Hey! Hey! You guys!  

...

There's a new cafe in Yokosuka!  

{And the crowd goes wild!  Aaaaaaahhhhh!}

Ok, maybe that's a little much. But let me tell you that this cafe is capital-G great. Great. GREAT! You know that corner across from Daiei Mall? Right on the tip of the Honch and basically the first thing you see when you come into the city? Where there used to be a men's clothing store that no one ever went into? Well BOOM, it's now a coffee shop, ready to welcome you to sweet little Yokosuka. Come on in. Stay awhile.

Ok, that was cheesy. But you can't hate me for it.

This shop is Mikasa Cafe. It just opened a few weeks ago, and we took our first excursion there last weekend. We were absorbed in the tone almost instantly. It has a modern cozy chic kind of feel, and if you could drink up the atmosphere alone, it would be mighty tasty. 

The cafe has good offerings too. Coffee and pastries, of course, along with a few meal sets. But they also serve a few characteristic beers. We didn't partake - coffee was on our minds - but we were still impressed by what they had to offer, and would definitely spend an evening there.

They also sell Navy Curry. In a can.

The coffee was pretty good. Very enjoyable. My only critique was that it wasn't consistent with the tone of the shop itself. My iced mocha was really sweet - delicious, yes - but after walking into a place that felt very mature and modern, my mind was set up to drink something bitter, something had coffee written all over it. Sweet didn't feel right sitting where I was, surrounded by earthy tones and modern motif. Coherent? Make sense? I hope so.

Still, the coffee was delicious. Just not Barista Champion delicious. Would we recommend this cafe? Absolutely. It is a worthy addition to Yokosuka, and you bet your ace we'll be going there again.

Bridge Coffee & Ice Cream in Kappabashi

One of my favorite places in Tokyo is Kappabashi. It's like a candy shop for me - shops filled with kitchen and baking goods, coffee equipment, and china. I recently took my husband and our 9-month-old and also planned to introduce them to the waffle cafe that serves as the cherry on top to my Kappabashi experience. We waited for it to open only to find that it was no longer a waffle cafe. WHAT?! My dreams were crushed. I also didn't understand how a waffle cafe wouldn't just exist forever out of sheer awesomeness. 

Sigh.

But. BUT! We walked around the corner to continue rummaging through piles of things that make me super domestic. And only a few storefronts down the road was a brand spanking new coffee shop. Hooray! And It. Was. So. So. So. Good. I would recommend this shop above many others, and it sure helped me grieve the loss of waffle heaven. 

This shop is Bridge. Right smack dab in the middle of Kappabashi street, it's a architecture design firm meets specialty coffee shop. We actually spent half the time wondering why there was an off limits computer room in the back and model rooms everywhere. Oh, and there's a giant stuffed moose. That one never got an explanation, but it probably doesn't need one.

The atmosphere was homey but classy, and the coffee and food were ohmygoshsogood. I had a latte complete with beautiful latte art as my husband sipped some joe (gosh, he is so boring). They were both great, but what really took the cake (or shall I say took the muffin, heh heh) was the --- wait for it --- pistachio chocolate chip muffin that I had. It ... it just changed my life. It was so good that I'm pretty sure it ruined me for all other baked goods. But not really, because I still bake more than any person should. 

Oh and ... Curt's brownie was good too.

(overshadowed)

I highly recommend this shop. It has ambiance, it has good coffee and excellent treats. And it's Japanese, so you know the service is spectacular (which it is). You can find Bridge on Kappabashi-dori, about a 15 minute walk from Asakusa Station and a 10 minute walk from Tawaramachi Station on the Ginza subway line. The beauty of this location is that you can couple a great coffee shop experience with shopping kitchen good stores and a walk through Asakusa. Really, you just can't go wrong.

Kaffe Latte, Please!

Swedes are genius, and apparently we need to move there.  Check out The Kitchn's rundown on How Swedes Drink Coffee.  It's daily siesta meets the coffee break.  Sounds to me like the best thing in the world.

So.  When are we going?  Tomorrow?  Meet you there?  Great.

World Barista Championship Outcome

Congratulations to Mr. Hidenori Izaki from Maruyama Coffee for winning the World Barista Championship! He is the first champion from both Japan and Asia. What an honor!

The WBC was last week in Rimini, Italy. You can read more about his win and the WBC here and here.

Cielo Pancake Cafe

Can't go wrong with dancing sign pancakes

We have businesses coming and going all the time in our neighborhood. Mostly bars and restaurants are opening and closing, but this sweet little spot opened up this March. This cafe is Cielo, "Chaaro" (チャーロ) in Japanese. The fact that we saw the word "pancake" and didn't immediately run into this shop is surprising. But once we did make it there, our thoughts ended up on both sides of the spectrum.

I'm going to level with you. So get ready. The coffee was not good. The iced coffee wasn't any good either. I used copious amounts of cream and sugar, which is uncharacteristic. The place was a bit dirty, too. The floor was gross and there were ants. At first glance, there's really not much going for it.

But we would go back.

How, you say? The service was impeccable. The server wasn't just sweet and nice. She was accommodating. She was hospitable. She went the extra mile.

Shall I share the many examples?

When we first arrived, there was a TV on with a show in Japanese. She immediate switched on an American movie. I think she's a psychic too - or a wonderful sort of stalker - because she turned on X2, one of my favorite movies. 

Notice the chips! Notice the chips!

Once she gave us our plates, she held our kid. She just took our kid and played around with him! Both of us were able to enjoy our food without competition from our 7-month-old. And neither of us had to play the game of be-a-jungle-gym-while-inhaling-food.

We were caught off guard by the thoughtfulness of her doing that. And a little bit touched, too.

The food itself was delicious. I ordered banana chocolate pancakes and was so tickled to see banana chocolate chips on my plate. Fantastic! I honestly don't even remember what my husband had - I was too enamored with my own dish. French toast or something without banana chocolate chips, that's all I care to know.

Since our visit, I've walked by this cafe multiple times. Three times I've seen the same waitress and she's recognized me, said hello, and smiled at our son. I'm so utterly torn on this place! Was it immaculately clean? Far from it. Was the coffee good? H to the no. But would I go back for some good pancakes and a chance to support their wonderful service? In a heartbeat.

Well, at least her wonderful service. Maybe I'm just becoming a fan of this one particular waitress. But she makes some mean pancakes and knows how to take care of some folks.

Cielo is located on Odakicho, two streets parallel to highway 16 intersecting Blue Street, between Claps Hair Salon and Hotel New Yokosuka. You can't miss it as it's a small but bright red building. Find them on Facebook here. English menus available. And complementary English movie time. 

Sio Cafe: A New Gem

Driving around Yokosuka gives a new perspective. Before we purchased a car, our scope (besides the Naval base) was any path we would walk to a train station or place close to home we would wander. Now, whenever we drive to a friend's house, my eyes resemble that of a three-year-old - darting back and forth at the new world I'm seeing!  Ha.  

Really though. We've made some great discoveries from our drives. A few weekends ago, my eyes were instantly drawn to a sweet little cafe that's actually very close to our house. Thus ensued weeks of my poor husband having to endure my verbal processing on when and how we could make plans to go there.  

Ok, this weekend we could go for a walk on Saturday and then go to the cafe!  

Maybe after we run those errands we could stop by that cafe!

Hey, after lunch can we try that cafe??

Finally, he told me that it wasn't going anywhere and that it would all be ok. I probably did need the reassuring; the place looked cute enough to make me desperate to experience it. Was it love at first sight? May have been.

And oh my lucky stars, I finally walked in their doors on Saturday afternoon. Sio Cafe (シオ カフェ) is their name, it turns out. I do have to confess, though, that I left my sweet man of a husband at home fast asleep on our rocking chair. But time was of the essence as my son's nap time was fast approaching. There have been times in the past, just like on Saturday, when Curt would come home exhausted, pass out, and fall quickly and deeply back to sleep upon attempts to wake him. I've gone many places without him when this situation occurs. A friend's birthday party. Errand running. You name it, I've probably left him to hibernate in peace while the rest of the world (including me) continues to operate. There have even been times he didn't realize I was gone. I guess that's what you call a Navy coma.

Anyway. Maybe it was wrong to go without him, but I think he'd rather I do that then mention the cafe in every conversation from here on out. 

AND I plan to take him back there. Let me commence in telling you how great my experience was. It literally started at the door. Their store front is a row of sliding doors. A row of sliding doors! So not only can you enter at any point, but they can open all of the doors and suddenly have an open air cafe. Wonderful!

The inside was so little (i.e., Japanese) - probably at capacity of 14 people or so - but the ambiance was so fresh and light that it felt much larger. I was greeted instantly, given a cup of water and told about my options in English. By, I might add, a woman who looked like the Japanese version of my daycare lady growing up. Kelly, is that you?? Since the menus were in Japanese, she helped me make my decision verbally. She was so kind and I was impressed by the many options I had. They serve lunch items (a few of which I scoped at other tables - creep!), curries, cakes, scones, and coffees, of course. I noticed that they had the perfect balance of a professional yet homey third place.

I guess you could say it was all I dreamed and more. I ordered their dessert set of the day - New York style cheesecake with blueberry sauce - with an iced coffee. It was delicious and the presentation made me feel wonderfully dainty and girly.

Another tidbit? They sell jewelry. There's a small tagboard of earrings and necklaces to be purchased. Fun to buy, I'm sure, but also pleasant to look at. They were also offering a knitting class later that day. Cute? Sooo cute.

If you're in Yokosuka and want to visit, Sio Cafe is located on Highway 16 just past city hall. Take a left at the Seven Eleven outside of Womble Gate, continue on 16, and you'll see them on the right just after the cement park in the middle of the city. A walk from Womble Gate would take ten minutes or less. Also, check them out on Facebook.

All The Small Things.

You know, sometimes it's just the little things in life. We've already raved about our beloved neighborhood coffee shop, but one of our favorite things about them is so simple.

Sometimes we stop in for a quick (really by 'quick' I don't mean quick, I just mean less slow!) cup of coffee or tea and forgo their delicious pastries --- and seriously, they are amazing! It takes twenty minutes to get a scone because they bake it for you right then. I melt right along with my chocolate scone every time. I laugh when Starbucks heats up my baked-who-knows-when cookie. But then again, I laugh at myself when I inhale it. Ok let's be honest here, warm pastries are just delicious. 

Anyway, I'm getting off track. Mmm scones. 

Whenever we only order a beverage, musetto throws in a teeny, tiny, delectable cookie. It is the perfect touch. After two years of unrelenting love for this cafe, I still give a little squeal of delight whenever one of these ends up on my table. It's like the first time all over again. Maybe they put serum that makes you forget inside them. Because I never expect it, even after 20 or so delicious cookie experiences. 

Something so simple! And probably takes next to no work at all. But that itty bitty cookie presented in a pretty little dish that I want to pinch is sometimes the highlight of my afternoon. Yes, it makes me smile that much. 

Just call it the adult Oreos and milk.

Jidohanbaiki Cheeky

Japan is bustling. Everyone is moving every which way. The fact that everyone is going to and from work is so apparent. Men in suits. Briefcases. Exhausted faces. Train cars that are dead silent as everyone unwinds. For some, that means being slumped over in an after-work cat nap on the commute home (how do people always wake up right before the train hits their stop??). 

Midst this chaos, Japan is genius with its coffee. Sometimes you just don't have the 10 minutes to stop in to a coffee shop and have your handmade latte thrown into your hand (and then your face). And conveniently situated shops don't possibly have the capacity to handle the volume that Tokyo's work life provides. 

Down the street from our house and very tempting.

My favorite drink is offered in the center one for ¥110.

What a steal!

Enter the best vending machines you will ever know. In Japan, they are jidohanbaiki. They are everywhere (highest per capita, in fact), promising that you can get the soda, water, juice, or coffee you're needing for ¥150 or less.

The convenience, variety and accessibility aren't even the best parts. Oh, how I wish the US would adopt vending machines like these! Most jidohanbaiki offer drinks hot. Yeah, you heard me right. Any drink with a red price label will come out in a warm aluminum can. Makes winters more bearable, that's for sure.

I've lived in Japan for two and a half years, and there are still varieties of vending machine coffees and teas that I haven't tried. When trying something new from a can you can't fully read, you'll find yourself reacting anywhere from wow, that's freaking delicious! to huh, not so bad to ugh, I think my body might reject this one. But once you find that favorite, it's glorious! Mine, like pretty much every other American here, is the hot Georgia's Original coffee. I can't possibly describe it in words that are worthy. But let's just say it's perfectly warm coffee that's dressed to impress (cream? Sugar? I really have no idea). I guess you'll just have to come over here and try it for yourself.

Sarutahiko Coffee

We have been quite busy. Clearly. Since our last post was umpteen years ago. Besides, oh - having a kid - we have had frequent goodbye and hello adjustments, as deployments have been about every other month. 

But today our new life as parents met our former life of coffee shop explorers and our future aspiration of owning our own. Whenever we're in a shop, I always tell our four-month-old to get comfortable, because hopefully part of his childhood will be more or less lived in one. But usually that occurs in a Starbucks or Tully's. 

But today. Oh, today. We ventured back onto the old road and sought out a little indie. We trekked up to a district in Tokyo we've rarely been and spent some time in Sarutahiko Coffee. When I first laid eyes on this little shop, I felt equal delight and dismay. Delight, because it was so adorably cute and small. Tiny as a shop can be, and cute as a button. Dismay, because it was so challengingly cute and small. We're parents. We come with a diaper bag stuffed with space-consuming cloth diapers, a soft carrier than can make agility more complex, and - oh, right - a kid. So when we first showed up with our appropriately hungry and tired infant hoping to settle in for a cup of joe, a hearty Breastfeeding session, and an ample nap, we took one look at the seat's-taken scenario before us and started weighing our options.

This gave Sarutahiko a chance to shine. A barista was instantly at our side to not only open the door for us, but offer us standing room, if we would take it. We walked away hoping to check again in an hour and that same barista chased after us to offer freshly open seats. Now that's good hospitality. 

We were able to squirm our way into 2 of the 14 seats in the place and check out the offerings. Their menus are in both Japanese and English (accommodating yet again, yeah!), so we were able to order easily. My caffe mocha was delicious and not overpowered by syrup, and Curt's single origin Burundi coffee was prepared via slow pour, resulting in a clean and citrusy taste. Nice and smooth.

The beans used to make his cup were extracted from the cherry using the natural washing process (cherry is pulped, soaked, fermented, washed, and dried). And you know, it made for a great cup of coffee. 

Sarutahiko Coffee gets an A+ from the Gaynors, according to their brew and their good hospitality. Overall, we had a good experience there, save for the screaming episode in their little bathroom (wait, infants don't appreciate things being dropped on their heads during a diaper change? Weird.), but I imagine if their staff are this accommodating for a ragamuffin bunch like ours, they must do everything they can to create a good atmosphere all the time.

If you're interested in visiting this shop, take the east exit out of Ebisu Station. We took the JR Yamanote Line. Sarutahiko is only a few blocks walk, and is easy to find on Google Maps. 

The Griffin

A few weeks ago, we ran into the Griffin of Olde Towne Fredericksburg, Virginia. When we saw the words "coffee shop" and "bookstore" on the same sign, we knew we were going to get sucked in. This idea is not only genius (coffee shop?! AND book store?! Together?!), but it was implemented here so perfectly. The Griffin has the layout of an old house - rooms here and there, hallways, a large living space. The various sections of books were segmented and the same went for the seating. A table with chairs in what might have been a sitting room (surrounded by shelves of books). A kids area that was a space underneath the stairs (surrounded by shelves of books). Two cush chairs with an end table in a wide hallway (of course, surrounded by shelves of books). Depending on where you sat, you'd get your own little alcove. A cup of coffee in hand staring at a wall of books? What is better, my friend, what is better. I often find myself overwhelmed at bookstores, with the urge to move here and move there, craning my neck to see what's on the bottom shelf. But when you're sitting down without a single inkling to move (i.e., latte in hand), you have all the time to eye up a thousand books.

Kudos, Griffin.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for their coffee. Good brews were clearly not their focus, and it was about the equivalent of what you'd get at a hospital kiosk. Though my husband had the regular brew, I had the basic mocha, and was all but impressed. It was overly bitter and overpowered by the undersweet mocha powder.

Yes, definitely go to the Griffin for books and ambiance. But avoid for good coffee.

 

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Warmth Inside the Igloo

I made an incredible discovery on Monday.  I was by the University of Tokyo patiently awaiting a Jane Goodall lecture and craving some coffee time.  I wandered and wandered, so I can't easily tell you where this discovery is located, but it's somewhere near the Keio Inokashira Line near the university.  I made my way down a small avenue and gloriously stumbled upon a diner meets coffee shop.  You know, I can't really tell you the name either, but I'm pretty sure it's Igloo (イーグル).  This great find was cozy and the coffee was surprisingly good for such a quaint little place.  Unfortunately, the menu isn't in English, but if you know any Katakana, you'll survive just fine.

 

Igloo was clearly a man's coffee shop. Being the only female patron, I noticed pretty much everyone else was an old man smoking a cigarette and having a cup o' Joe. In my mind, this is pretty rare. When it comes to coffee shops, we think of the Caribous and Tully's of our days - full of mostly young people and predominantly female. So I can appreciate places like Igloo, with men being men in an ambience similar to Cheers. It was the perfect after work third place, and it was clear there were some regulars.  This shop was perfectly rejuvinating, and I left refreshed and ready to continue a busy day. If you, by some freak chance, happen to be in the area and stumble upon it like I did (Hey! Maybe it's Narnia!), I recommend the cafe au lait.  In a comfortable atmosphere like Igloo, it's the perfect complementary drink.  Cheers.  :)

Meet TCC

Singapore Coffee Shop #1 on our list is the first one I visited. I got there all of 20 minutes after making my way through Singapore customs. When a girl needs her a coffee, she needs her coffee.  And thank the good Lord this coffee shop was awaiting me in the terminal.

 

I would like to introduce you to The Connoisseur Concerto, affectionately known as TCC.

 

One of the discontentments we've grown since living abroad is the lack of good hearty food in American coffee shops.  There are days when I want to camp out in a coffee shop for hours on end, and a meal is in order.  Thinking back to the coffee hubs I know and love in the States, I would have pastries number 1, 2, and 3 to choose from.  We coffee drinkers gotta eat!  While exploring various coffee shops abroad, I've been able to see the possibilities of vibrant plates that fill my belly and fill it well, and TCC was no different. 

 

The menu was full of meals of all sizes - soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, appetizers, desserts - but it was breakfast time, so I chose their fruit pancakes.  They were fresh and perfect, with a slightly crispy outer layer and carmelized bananas with fresh strawberries and raspberries on top.  After the amount of time I had been on a plane?  I was a little drooly.  This breakfast was perfectly comforting. 

 

Their coffee menu was an extensive list of specialty coffee and espresso drinks, and I had their TCC's special blend.  In honor of kopi, it was thick and rich, and left me wanting nothing more.  The taste was bold and full enough to wake me up instantly.  Boy, was I paying attention.

 

TCC is one of those chains that don't forget quality in their success.  If you're ever in Singapore - and trust me, you should be in Singapore - visit TCC for an idea of a really fantastic and professional specialty coffee shop looks like.

Kopi Love.

Goodness gracious, life is so good.  We have another "basket of beans" to show you, and that wonderful basket is Singapore. 

 

Traditionally, Singaporean coffee is called kopi and their coffeeshops are referred to as kopitiam.  I have to be honest - I have no idea where these beans come from or how exactly the kopi is prepared.  But what I can offer you is my own experience, and what my first tastes of kopi were like. 

 

Kopi is intense.  It's a little thick, and definitely rich.  It's somewhat overwhelming, but it grows on you.  After a long flight that spits you out into a Singapore morning, kopi is comforting and filling.  I may be well-suited to love kopi since I drink my coffee black every day, but I'm convinced that though most Americans would think it too strong and too thick, many would come around after a few tastes. 

 

Kopitiam is such a culture in Singapore that it has its own speech.  Unfortunately, I forgot everything I'd researched when looking up at a board with "kopi o" (sweetened hot coffee), "kopi o kosong" (black hot coffee), "kopi c" (hot coffee sweetened with evaporated milk), and a dozen others, but I think we survived our struggle.  Stay tuned, folks.  We visited many a kopitiam in Singapore (really, what else would you expect?), and we've got much to tell you. 

musetto

It is now clear that I'm not very consistent.  After two months of unannounced and unintended hiatus from this blog, I'm ready.  Woo!

We've been telling you about coffee shops away from home - Kyoto, Ginza, etc - but today I'll tell you about our neighborhood kissaten.  Musetto is just around the corner from home and smack dap in the middle of what we call the Honch, or Honcho.  To Navy affiliates in the area, it means Little America, and the place where sailors wander to to get a little crazy on the weekends.  During the day, though, the area is active with Japanese families and couples, complete with various festivals and musical performances.  

I.e., musetto is perfect for people watching.

A modest shop with mismatched furniture and a wall that comes off completely to bring in fresh air, musetto is quaint yet impressive.  Their drink varieties include the classic lattes and some signature drinks.  I recently tried the soy honey latte; I must admit that it was on the sweet side, but still pretty delicious.  Though I can't speak to any of their teas because I haven't tried any, their selection is extensive.  Musetto also has a menu of plated meals and really great sweets.  So whatever time of day you're in, you won't leave discontent. 

As for this shop, we highly recommend.  So take a walk straight out Main Gate and it will be a block up on your right.  Their menus include English.

Vamos a la Bibliotheque!

I’m very excited to talk about this next coffee house.  It was by far my favorite in Kyoto.  I probably had a bias towards it when I first researched Kyoto coffee shops, because its name was absurd. 

Meet Café Bibliotec Hello!

And no, that’s not a typo.  And yes, the exclamation point is part of the name.

 

We spent part of a Sunday afternoon here, and it didn’t take long to realize that this shop had it all.  Along with its fantastic name, there were bookshelves upon bookshelves (hence, bibliotec).  And what’s better than coffee?  Coffee with a book.  Ah, glorious.

Cafe BH! also had great ambiance.  A loft, cozy chairs, warm colors, friendly staff.  And on top it all, an enormous, hefty table.  Like the one you’d find in the dining room of a manor. 

And the most important part – the food and the coffee.  Both were fan freaking tastic.  They had a complete food menu with meals, pastries, salads, you name it.  There was no lacking in their cuisine or their drinks.  They had all sorts of espresso drinks and teas.  Goodness gracious, I fell in love.  I went with their basic mocha and it was perfectly balanced.  Not too sweet and not too bitter.  I truly enjoyed my heaven in a cup as Curt enjoyed his black black black coffee.  Nothing lacking there either. 

As one of my favorite coffee shops of all time, this one will stick in my memory.  After all, I am in love with it. 

Your Perfect Break In The Day

Time for another fantastic Kyoto coffee shop!

I introduce to you Kamogawa Café, a coffeehouse bookended by Kyoto Imperial Palace and the Kamo River.  If you want to get off the beaten path, Kamogawa is where you go.  After winding through roads and a park, past a pre-school and many-a house, we bumped into it.  Oh look, our destination. 

Kamogawa is simple.  They serve lunch sets, but as far as I could tell, they focused on their brew.  I.e., few espresso drinks.  I had no beef with this; their coffee was delicious.  It had a truly full body, and didn’t leave any room for disappointment.

The Loft!

My favorite thing about Kamogawa, however, was not their coffee.  It was their set up.  The ambiance was fantastic.  Their shop includes a big open area in front, with large color tiled windows.  But they also had a nook in the back and a loft!  Genius.  We give this shop an A in warmth and coze.  It was so comfortable that we both fell asleep!  I guess we felt at home. 

Kamogawa was perfect for a break in our day.  We left refreshed from rest and great coffee, and would definitely go back. 

Sarasa Nishijin Cafe

About a month ago, we went to Kyoto, Japan’s former capital and a city full of great history.   And really unique coffee shops.  It’s telling when your travel research includes finding the most interesting specialty coffee shops.  It helps you obtain a more local feel of a city.  We hate being too tour oriented. 

We came across Cafe Sarasa Nishijin, an indoor onsen turned coffee shop.  And the shop is unparalleled when it comes to uniqueness.  It even still had tiled walls, but had a comfortable feel.  We loved it.  The shop was spacious – which, trust me, is hard to come by in Japan – but had ideal nooks and crannies to relax in.  We chose a great sofa spot with a coffee table.  Ah, just like home. 

Their milk chai was to die for.  I feel no more words can appropriately express how good that cup of tea was.  Mmhmm. 

And they had great FOOD.  This is a feature we’ve lost in many American coffee shops – we’ve settled on pastries.  But when the best atmosphere to do homework, relax, read, write, etc is the coffee shop – and one could camp out for hours on end - I think meals are a must.  You can see my husband’s and my priorities when it comes to our food choices.  He went for a salad with a delicious bun pizza and chunky fries, while I opted for their decadent raspberry cheesecake.  Both hit the spot.  And I swear, I stole no fries … . . . . 

A Jewel In The Heart Of Ginza

My husband and I often stumble.  We wander a place to get to know it, and that works in Japan, because wherever you are, there's always something to see.  

Last weekend, we decided we wanted to see Ginza.  My husband quickly looked up a kissaten before we left home and we wandered the area until we found it.  Midst the posh, high-fashion scene was Café de l’Ambre, a cozy, hole in the wall full of old Japanese men.  Excellent.  It was rustic as can be, even down to the scale they used.  I think they pulled it out of the year 1947. 

Their menu was extensive, and included only coffee, which is all they serve.  They have blends from all over the world, from South America to East Africa to Sumatra, which is what my husband chose.  I had their café au lait, which was well-balanced and subtle.  Perfect for a rest in the middle of a busy afternoon.

Their beans were freshly roasted (notice the tiny little man in the tiny little room working his magic), and of course, freshly ground.  Their drip method was almost artistic.  Each barista poured water over a cloth filter of grounds – ooooh soooo slowly – while swirling the filter to properly bring out the flavor and aroma.  Their focus was almost humorous.  We love people who take coffee that seriously!  

And it paid off.  We received about 3 ounces of Sumatra in a tiny little cup.  The small amount sufficed, because it was full of body and flavor.  I’ve had my share of specialty coffee, but I was pleasantly stunned by how it filled my mouth.  Oh, this is how coffee should taste. 

Cafe de l'Ambre will be somewhere we go again and bring guests.  Next time you're in Ginza (I think I need some Japanese readers!), make this a priority.

Post #1 of the coffee blog.  Ready go.

We.  Love.  Coffee.  I take a Japanese language class every Wednesday, and last night my husband's and my coffee obsession shone through.  When asked what kind of company I would like to own, it came to my head in .0048 seconds.  Kohi no mise!  Coffee shop!  Easy answer as it's been our long-time dream.  When asked what I did last week, I discussed how I went with a Japanese friend to Kappabashi, Tokyo's Kitchen Town, and bought a coffee mill that made my week and a professional french press.  One of the other students laughed at my unmistakable coffee love.  Carrie san wa kohi o dai suki desu!  This girl really likes her coffee!  

So here we are.  Curt and Carrie Gaynor.  Exploring the world of specialty coffee and drip methods.  And documenting it here.  We're finding that coffee can be rich.  It can be thick and flavorful and as my husband says, it can make your lips 'zingle.'  Which apparently means a rushing tingle.  Intense.  Coffee is an art, and everything matters.  Roast.  Ratio.  Age.  Grind.  Even the water, for crying out loud.  It's delicate in every step of the brewing process, even storage.  And we're finding it's only good if it's made by hand.  It should be good enough to take black.  

Japan is the world's 3rd largest importer of coffee beans, after the United States and Germany.  So there's a lot to find here.  We've already trekked up hills, wandered around neighborhoods, and struggled through menus of some of the greatest specialty coffee shops of Japan.  We've marveled at the flavor filling our mouths and how 3 ounces of really great coffee has the potential to make you feel it all day.  Wherever we travel, we will find those great coffee houses.  See the journey here.  And hopefully you'll still be with us when we settle back in the great US of A (cue Minnesotan accent) and open a little jewel of our own.  

Here's to the bean.